Guest Blog Post - Ida Vickers - 4 Tips for a Great Selfie
So today's blog post is a guest post from the lovely photographer Ida Vickers. She took pictures of me back in January and she did a wonderful job. She didn't have much to work with (me) but the pictures were wonderful. As most of you know, I love a good selfie and one friend even Christened them as a #tofie. So here is Ida's post and please enjoy and definitely tag me next time you take a selfie!
Guest Blog Post: Ida Vickers
If you're an avid reader of Tova's blog, you will have noticed that she is the #selfiequeen and posts quite a few photos of herself....with her phone covering most of her face.
Well, I guess that is artistic liberty! If you want to take a good selfie without a mirror or a phone in your face, here are some tips – from a photographer's perspective.
#1 Look for good light.
Ideally, this means daylight, diffused through a curtain or some other sheer fabric, hitting you square in the face to get rid of all shadows and craggly bits. Every time you post a photo you took at 12:00 noon in July, looking super scary because you have two huge black circles instead of eyes, a photographer cries somewhere.
What's that, you don't usually bring a curtain when you go out for ice cream? Get out of the direct sun into the shadow of a building. Have a play around with the lighting and angle to see what is most flattering.
No daylight? Get up close and comfortable with a lamp and for the love of all that is holy don't use flash on your selfie. It looks horrendous 9 times out of 10.
TL;DR: Harsh light from an odd angle is a no-no.
Bad lighting as demonstrated by Rachael Foster Photography
#2 Chin forward and down.
I probably say this a zillion times every photoshoot – you basically have to tilt your head forward and then extend your chin by channelling your inner turtle.
This is way cheaper and usually less painful than plastic surgery to get rid of that double chin!
Note: If you are already quite thin I would use this with caution. Just a little turtle is sometimes enough. In fact, you should probably never go full turtle. But that is a story for a different day.
TL;DR: Turtle.
#3 Angle is everything.
Please don't take photos up your nostrils, nobody needs to see that. But the other extreme is people taking photos from waaaay up high (Because it's slimming!!!111!) that just look unnatural and will also give you a cramp in your arm. The aim should be for the lens of your phone camera to point at or very slightly above your eyeline (say your eyebrows) and you should be just fine. This will indeed have a slimming effect if done right.
Also, you might not want to shoot straight on. Instead, turn your head slightly, so that only one ear is visible in the photo, to accentuate your jawline.
TL;DR: Don't dislocate your shoulder, and don't shoot yourself straight in the face. Solid advice methinks.
#4 Background.
If you want to have a selfie that is truly 'fire' as the kids say, please watch where you're standing.
In the case of mating dogs or piles of rubbish in the background that should be obvious, but also- try and find a nice background to stand in front of. Unassuming, even-toned and non-neon walls are usually a good idea. And please get out of the bathroom. Please.
TL;DR: No toilet photos.
You'll look your best, though, with a tagline that says "Guys I just donated a million € to Tova's charity!" - only if it is true, of course, as the smug smile on your face will make up for bad light AND mating dogs. But seriously, go donate, Tova is amazeballs.
If you want some shiny prints instead of pixels, and let me worry about the lighting, you are most welcome to book a portrait session with me. I do contemporary portraiture, family photos, boudoir, maternity, and personal branding.
And I promise I will only shoot up your nostrils if I don't like you. xx
Ida
www.idavickers.com
No daylight? Get up close and comfortable with a lamp and for the love of all that is holy don't use flash on your selfie. It looks horrendous 9 times out of 10.
TL;DR: Harsh light from an odd angle is a no-no.
Bad lighting as demonstrated by Rachael Foster Photography
#2 Chin forward and down.
I probably say this a zillion times every photoshoot – you basically have to tilt your head forward and then extend your chin by channelling your inner turtle.
This is way cheaper and usually less painful than plastic surgery to get rid of that double chin!
Note: If you are already quite thin I would use this with caution. Just a little turtle is sometimes enough. In fact, you should probably never go full turtle. But that is a story for a different day.
TL;DR: Turtle.
#3 Angle is everything.
Please don't take photos up your nostrils, nobody needs to see that. But the other extreme is people taking photos from waaaay up high (Because it's slimming!!!111!) that just look unnatural and will also give you a cramp in your arm. The aim should be for the lens of your phone camera to point at or very slightly above your eyeline (say your eyebrows) and you should be just fine. This will indeed have a slimming effect if done right.
Also, you might not want to shoot straight on. Instead, turn your head slightly, so that only one ear is visible in the photo, to accentuate your jawline.
TL;DR: Don't dislocate your shoulder, and don't shoot yourself straight in the face. Solid advice methinks.
#4 Background.
If you want to have a selfie that is truly 'fire' as the kids say, please watch where you're standing.
In the case of mating dogs or piles of rubbish in the background that should be obvious, but also- try and find a nice background to stand in front of. Unassuming, even-toned and non-neon walls are usually a good idea. And please get out of the bathroom. Please.
TL;DR: No toilet photos.
You'll look your best, though, with a tagline that says "Guys I just donated a million € to Tova's charity!" - only if it is true, of course, as the smug smile on your face will make up for bad light AND mating dogs. But seriously, go donate, Tova is amazeballs.
If you want some shiny prints instead of pixels, and let me worry about the lighting, you are most welcome to book a portrait session with me. I do contemporary portraiture, family photos, boudoir, maternity, and personal branding.
And I promise I will only shoot up your nostrils if I don't like you. xx
Ida
www.idavickers.com
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